WorldStage Newsonline-- Transaction on the floor of the Nigerian stock Exchange was largely driven by the shares of First Bank of Nigeria Plc, Zenith Bank Plc and Guaranty Trust Bank Plc this week, with trading in the shares of the three banks accounted for 391.553 million shares, representing 55.92per cent , 46.56per cent and 34.28per cent of the turnover recorded by the sector, subsector and total equities turnover for the week, respectively.

The Banking subsector of the Financial Services sector was also the most active during the week

measured by turnover volume with 700.158 million shares worth N6.074 billion exchanged by

investors in 10,559 deals.

A turnover of 1.143 billion shares worth N8.861 billion in 18,880 deals were recorded this week, in

contrast to a total of 1.301 billion shares valued at N9.46 billion exchanged last week in 14,792

deals. Also traded during the week were 8,454 units of NewGold Exchange Traded Products (ETFs) valued at N21,400,220 million exchanged in 10 deals.

There were no transactions in the Federal Government development stocks, State/Local Government Bonds and Corporate Bonds/Debentures Stocks sectors.

At the close of trading activities for the week, the Financial Services sector of the equities market was the most active (measured by turnover volume) with 840.921 million shares valued at N6.157 billion traded in 11,038 deals. This was followed by Conglomerates Sector with 114.532 million shares valued at N256.813 million traded in 1,014 deals.

The NSE All-Share Index (ASI) opened at 21,963.87 depreciating by -1,060.92 points or -4.83per cent to close on Friday at 20,902.95. Five of the NSE sectorial indices closed downwards. The NSE 30

index depreciated by -46.35 points (or -4.64per cent ), the NSE Consumer Goods Index depreciated by - 60.00 points (or -3.41per cent ), The NSE Banking-10 Index depreciated by -11.71 points or -3.75per cent , the

NSE Insurance-10 Index depreciated by -4.57 points or -3.62per cent . Also, the NSE Oil/Gas-5 Index depreciated by 4.82 points or 2.51per cent .

Also the equities Market Capitalization also depreciated from N7.004 trillion to N 6.666 trillion.

Twenty-two equities appreciated in prices during the week, the same as twenty two of the preceding week.

Guinness Nigeria Plc led on the gainers’ table by 2.24per cent to gain N5.01 followed by Lafarge Wapco Plc by 1.97per cent to gain N0.81.

Forty two stocks depreciated in prices higher than thirty three of the preceding week.

Dangote Cement Plc led on the price losers’ table, dropping by -9.12per cent to lose N10.24 while

Nigerian Breweries Plc followed with a loss of N9.00 or -8.57 per cent.